City Living: Do You Pay for Parking?

We're reworking our monthly budget and discussing whether or not we should factor a garage space into the equation. Parking in our neighborhood is not cheapexpensive and the local garage has a pretty serious waiting list, but I am still ready to cave in and sign up at this point.

We live in the city and unfortunately my freelance work requires that I drive frequently, toting heavy gear around and taking jobs in areas not serviced by public transportation. I am not going to lie when I say that I often build my schedule around prime parking times in my neighborhood. On an average day, I end up circling the neighborhood for close to 40 minutes looking for a space in my permitted "zone" (for which we are already paying for yearly) and often end up walking several blocks back to my home, or leaving it places with frequent break-ins. The other downside is that even when it's not in use, it needs to be moved often to avoid racking up tickets.

Where would you draw the line? And how much is too much to pay? Let us know in the comments below.